The Wyrmlord's Fate
by Spirit of the Aces57
Summary: Shiro Emiya's soul was warped and transformed by the cursed fire that spilled forth from the Holy Grail. That had always been a constant. But thanks to the intervention of four beings, his fate and origin are changed. How will the world react to the return of Dragons? The gears of change have begun to turn.
1. Prologue: Requiem For a Dream

**AN update 2/14/2016: Hey all SpiritoftheAces57 here with a new story!**

 **Cricket chirps are all that can be heard.**

 **Yeash this is a tough crowd…at least nothing was thrown at me. Anyway moving right along, so for the past 3 years I've been playing Final Fantasy XIV, and at the same time reading a lot of Fate/stay night fanfictions. Over those three years, I haven't seen one regular or crossover Fate/stay night stories with any Final Fantasy related elements. So I was thinking why not make my own crossover story? Well I think that's everything…. ahh yes the disclaimer!**

 **Ahem: Spirit of the Aces does not, in any way, shape or form make a profit off this story. This is for pure entertainment purposes. The characters and ideas present in this story belong to their respective owners. Now on with the story!**

 **The Wyrmlord's Fate**

 **Prologue: A Requiem for a Dream, and a Departure**

It had seemed like only yesterday, after waking up after passing out in that dreadful fire, that he was adopted by Kiritsugu Emiya the infamous Magus Killer, the same man who had rescued him from same fire. One night while they were talking together and gazing at the stars in doing so he had accidentally revealed to the young boy that he was a magus and soon made him swear secrecy on the matter. A few days later, and the boy had convinced his adoptive father to teach him mage craft, although the man was reluctant to do so.

Unfortunately, in a misunderstanding with the vague information his father had given him, he began to practice magecraft on his own. But without the proper knowledge of how to effectively activate them, he was accidently converting his nerves in to temporary magic circuits. This had the unfortunate effect of damaging his true magic circuits, cause them to weaken and atrophy, not that he knew of course. The only skills in magecraft he was truly good at, Reinforcement and Projection, were scoffed at by normal Magi and the Mage associations like the Clock Tower, and considered by them to be practically useless because of the high cost of prana to use said skills.

Oh…who was the boy? Why his name is Shiro Emiya, and the lone survivor of the Fuyuki city fire. The first thing that people noticed was that his hair color was the shade of blood, and that his eyes were twin pools the color of gold. He was tall for a 14-year-old and it seemed he would get taller still as he grew up further.

Now, 5 years later, feeling alone in the world after the sudden death of his adopted father, who had passed away talking with him until dawn, Shiro stared around the workshop of the now deceased Magus Killer with a feeling of great sadness. That is not to say that he was really alone, his caretaker and somewhat brash adoptive older sister, and next door neighbor, Taiga Fujimura watched out for him and her grandfather took care of his living expenses. There was also Yuki Icecrown, another person who treated him like a younger brother, and had helped him somewhat get over the survivor's guilt that he had for being the only survivor of the fire; but she was away on important business, and he wasn't expecting her to be home anytime soon.

These days Shiro, still without any proper understanding of it, was throwing himself back into practice of his skills in magecraft once again. Even before his father had died, he had always associated that the pain of transforming his nerves into magic circuits, was a fair price to pay for the power to save people.

Sighing Shiro walked out of the workshop into a beautiful evening sunset, and making sure to lock the door, headed back towards the estate. Just as he was getting into the house, however, there was a knock on the door, and a muffled but familiar voice announced "Packages for one Shiro Emiya."

"I'll be right there!" he responded to said voice speeding up his pace, tripping slightly in his hurry and dislodging from his shirt an amulet. one that depicted a dragon that was black as night, wings spread wide, with rubies for the eyes that seemed to have a life of their own. Around the reptilian beast, were seven crystals one surrounded by twelve symbols. But try as he might, he could never say the name of the wyrm depicted on the amulet, though he felt like he knew its name from somewhere. It was as if something was preventing him from saying its name. But he had always found them fascinating, like a fragment of his past life that was not lost to the cursed fire perhaps. Even now he wished he could meet one. Unfortunately, his father had said that they had all but disappeared from the world during the decline of magic. Still it was nice to dream, however impossible it may seem.

Snapping out of his thoughts as he reached the entryway into the estate, Shiro opened the front door. There standing in front of him was Yuki Icecrown, though he preferred to call her Yuki-nee, with two packages in her arms. She had appeared about a year and half ago before his adoptive father's death, and had apparently been looking all over Fuyuki city for him and Kiritsugu. Kiritsugu was initially wary around her, but after a private chat between the two of them, he acted more warmly around her. She was beautiful in all aspects, with her mahogany brown hair with red highlights cascading around her heart shaped face and down a bit past her shoulders, and deep sapphire blue eyes. She was also tall, maybe 5'9", with curves in the right places that caused Fuji-nee to be evergreen with jealousy, much to Yuki's constant confusion.

"Hi Yuki-nee! How come...?" he asked further opening the door to allow her inside. He gave her a quick hug with one arm, which she returned with some difficulty.

"How come I'm home so early?" She replied, separating from the hug and walking through the door and slipping off her shoes, "Well as it turns out, that bit of business took me close to where you asked me to go, so I managed to grab it for you."

"Really?!" exclaimed Shiro. He had asked for a specific book on the myths, legends and lore of the dragons of the north. He hadn't got his hopes up, as the book was rarely published in Japanese, that was if you could FIND a copy at all.

"Yes really, I know you've always been fascinated by dragons." She answered heading into the living room and sitting down on one of the couches, and setting the packages on the coffee table, "So I thought these would be a great surprise for you Shiro."

"Thank you so much Yuki-nee!" exclaimed Shiro in pure delight. He immediately began to unwrap the packages, being careful so as to not leave a mess. "Wow!"

'And great goodbye presents for at least another five years' she thought bitterly, watching Shiro unwrap his gifts.

The first was, of course, the book he wanted. It was unique as the last he heard of the author they had to go underground to hide from the Church of all places, Clock Tower, and several other magical associations. So it was probably best to keep it out of sight were anyone could see it. It was titled **Dragonsong** , and the pages were illustrated with the author's impression of what dragons looked like before the decline of magic. The cover had only the title on it, no decorations, but it was made out of some kind of fine leather.

The second and smallest of the three packages was another amulet, this one of a Serpent-like Dragon, known to the Norse in their myths as Midgardsormnr, the World serpent, and according to obscure texts, The Wyrm Father. Unlike the other amulet, this one was three dimensional with the dragon entwined around a great blue crystal that glittered in the evening sunset. Both the crystal and the dragon looked almost as if they were alive. And as he gazed at it, Shiro could have sworn he heard a two draconic roars from both of his amulets, from the one in his hand and the one worn on his neck. And then he could have sworn he heard a song echoing inside his head. It sounded much like a reprise, and it was oh so familiar and haunting. Before he could turn his attention to Yuki in order to thank her, he felt sudden flash of pain that made him feel as though he were on fire, a falling sensation, a sudden cry from Yuki, and then darkness.

" _Is this… a dream?" the young man said to himself, standing there and gazing out at the roiling darkness. He tried to move forward several times, but found that he couldn't each time. But, soon enough the darkness parted to reveal…_

 **A massive red moon that was falling from the heavens, and as it fell pieces broke away from the main body and streaked across the skies, bringing death and destruction where ever they fell. A great cracking like that of an iceberg breaking apart, revealed the celestial object in question to be artificial, and loosening a structure jutting out like a sword, upon the bottom surface of the moon.**

 _Soon he heard a voice begin to sing as the image passed…_

" _To all of my children in whom life flows abundant."_

 **Two massive armies clashing below, fighting for the fate of the land below the false moon. One bearing flags that denoted three separate factions allied and sharing a common cause. The other an Empire that brought misery and ruin where ever they went,**

" _To all of my children to whom Death hath past his judgement._

 _The soul yearns for honor and the flesh the hereafter."_

" _Look to those who've walked before,_

 _To lead those who walk after."_

" _Shining is the lands light of justice,_

 _Ever flows the lands well of purpose!"_

 **The battle was terrible and bloody, and seemed as if it would never end. But…**

" _Walk free!_

 _Walk free!_

 _Walk free! Believe._

 _The lands alive! So believe…."_

 **The** __ **force of gravity causes the structure of the false moon to give way, and plunge upon the battlefield below, halting the fighting as all below gaze up toward the moon. Fiery red light erupts violently from beneath the surface of the false celestial object. Soon a pair of wings of a dragon break free from eons of imprisonment. It soon unleashed a roar that sends the remaining pieces of the false moon shrieking across the skies, devastating the realm below. A wise man shields the survivors from the dragon's wrath. The wise man then calls upon the power of the Twelve; the plan was to call upon the guardian gods of the land and attempt to return the vengeful Draconic entity to the lifestream.**

 **The plan failed as the Dragon's rage and might proved to be too strong, even for the combined might of the Twelve.**

 **But as the Dragon was about to destroy the land forever, the scholar called upon the last vestiges of power of the Keeper of Time, and sent the survivors beyond the reach of the devastation. And as aether rained down from the heavens and the desperate wish and prayer the dying land be saved. And thus from the man arose a Phoenix, containing the destruction to the now abandoned battlefield, and defeating the Dragon. But the Dragon was cunning, and imprisoned the Phoenix with him.**

 **As cracks of light started to form on the Dragon, twelve beams of light formed and converged from a portal that had been forming throughout the battle between the Phoenix and Dragon. This beam of light sped towards the Crystal 'Heart' used to summon the Eikon eons ago. Once it reached the so called 'Heart', it caused a chain reaction that created a small shard of the 'Heart', and shattered the remains of the Draconic Eikon into thousand fragments of aetheric light. The resulting explosion destabilized the power contained within a rock formation that had formed in the battle between,**

 **5 years passed as the shard drifted in the along in the aetherial sea.**

 **Hear. Feel. Think.**

 **Those were the words that changed the shard. He saw the shard transform into a young man. He saw as the man blinked in the desert sunlight, confused and lost.**

 **He saw as that same young man encounter seven warriors in the desert, each full of light and life. He saw as he and the brightest of the seven, a young woman, fell in love, standing alongside the others, and aiding them in fighting beings of fire, earth, wind, a machine born from the dark, water, lightning and ice.**

 **He saw as the man and woman were joined together in a place Known as the Sanctum of the Twelve, and unbeknownst to all present, under the watchful gaze of The Twelve themselves.**

 **He saw as they and the grandchildren of the Phoenix, travel in search of the truth, and the growing sense of dread in the eyes of the former shard. As they progressed deeper, memories of anger and rage not his own began to assault his mind, but at the sight of those eyes of emerald and shaded by blond hair the color of gold, the memories of those dark feeling faded. And they were replaced by feelings still not his own, but kinder gentler, full of love, hope and light.**

 **Shiro then saw the former shard and his companions encounter the wise man. He saw the wise man begin to rant about the darkness that dwelt in mankind's heart. He saw one of the grandchildren, a boy, questioning his grandfather to confirm if he was speaking as a thrall to the dragon, or if he had "Transcended beyond limits of mortality". He saw as the wise man, before their very eyes, transform into the Phoenix. He saw as the other grandchild collapsed in despair, tears streaming down her face, and pleaded to them to save her grandfather for their sake as well as his own.**

 **The Battle was fierce, but they were victorious. He saw the Phoenix reveal the truth to his grandchildren as he embraced them and those seven warriors whose souls shone like stars. He saw the shard turned man realize a horrible truth as gazed upon the Eikon and in turn reveal that he was, in essence, a fragment of the being. The Phoenix's response was a frown, while the grandchildren looked startled and afraid. Six of the warriors shifted nervously, uncertain about what to do, but the seventh, the woman whose face he had woken up to every day since their wedding, stepped forward and embraced him.**

" **That does not change the fact that still I love you -." She said. "We made an eternal vow, remember?"**

 **He saw the man, break into a teary smile, and in front of everyone, kiss her. How could he not? She still loved him despite what he had revealed. And of course he remembered their wedding, at the Sanctum of the Twelve. The way her eyes shone like emerald stars, no star in the sky could be compared them, the warmth of her touch and the feeling of her lips upon his own. The feeling of her body as they slept together, skin to skin, and feeling whole for the first time in either of their lives.**

 **The others then broke into joyous laughter and smiled. They too remembered that glorious day; the day their leader and the man were joined together in the eyes of Twelve.**

 **The Phoenix gladdened by the responses of the young woman and her companions, aided them by transporting them to their final goal. As the grandchildren of the Phoenix attempted to end it, the Eikon then and there, it fought back. They gave them an opening, but the man prevented the others from joining him, including the love of his life, in what would his final battle.**

 **He saw that same shard… no man alone, tears streaming down his face, fighting against the same Dragon that had caused so much death and destruction, and was the origin of his birth. The final blow came to both of them, one strike from him to end the dragon, and the other came to him in return. As he returned his allies…no family, rushed towards him and aided him by forcing out the darkness of his origin which was attempting to overtake him. They were successful, but too late to save him from death. A feeling of warmth and he looked up to see emerald eyes crying in relief. A final kiss, before he saw a bright light as he heard the woman cry in shock and despair.**

 **The man had died, and left behind a woman broken hearted by his death.**

 **He saw the man standing before a figure glowing brighter than the sun, who sat upon a throne in a hall of purest white. A deal was struck and a second chance for life was given.**

 **He was reborn to a small magus family that had hidden themselves away from the world. One last night together. The family was laughing together, but that laughter soon turned to cries of fear and for their son to run away, from cursed flames that ate away at the world. Malice, anger, hatred, and fear these dark emotions made up the flames that soon caught him, and forced him to give up everything, his parents, memories, emotions, and thoughts. The flames tried to claim the memories locked away in his now warped soul, but could not even reach them let alone take them. But eventually he had nothing left to give and collapsed in that hell on earth, gazing blankly up at that smoke filled sky, before closing his eyes.**

 **A feeling of warmth, a scent of honeysuckle, and something golden that resonated with his very soul, washed over him. He opened his eyes and saw a man, disheveled and with tears of relief freely flowing from his eyes.**

" **I wish I could be that happy" That was his final thought, before he blacked out.**

 _Darkness quickly clouded Shiro's vision and he soon felt as though he were falling. Suddenly his eyesight cleared and his feet felt firm ground. He had landed on some sort of a platform. Circling high above him and coiled around a Gigantic Crystal, were two dragons. He could make out one as it was illuminated by the crystal's light. It clearly looked serpentine and was coiled around the crystal. The other dragon was difficult to see as it was hovering straight above him and its form blurred, as if he were seeing it through a fog. He felt a strangely strong and familiar connection to both, but it was stronger to the one above him, rather than the first._

 _Thousands of thoughts passed through his head, but the prominent one was…_

" _Where am I?"_

" _The aetherial sea, my child._ _" responded a motherly voice. He looked around for the source of the voice, and a look of shock passed over him. It was the Crystal! But how was that possible? "_ _I am Hydaelyn, all made one. Thou wert brought here for a purpose my child."_

" **For far too long have the machinations of the Darkness gone unopposed on this star. The Light of Life and Hope hath waned from the hearts of mortals."** _A loud booming voice echoed across the darkness. Its tone the one of an old soul who had seen and knew far too much._ **"Gaia and Ayla have been engaged in a petty squabble, one always trying to overcome the other. Therefore, you have been chosen to bear my kind's power once again, and Hydaelyn's Light."**

" _What? But why? Who are you?!" exclaimed Shiro. He still couldn't understand what was happening!_

" **I am Midgardsormnr the World Serpent, Shiro Emiya, and the answers to thy dream and thy questions shall come in due time. Always wear thine amulets, and, should harm threaten thee, my people shall answer your call. A covenant binds me to thee. I shall watch, listen, and wait."**

" _ **And know this, we are as one Shiro Emiya. Shouldest thou ever find need, do not hesitate to call upon me or my power when things look dire. My brood shall not stand by idly and do nothing.",**_ _promised the mist covered dragon flying above him._

 _Other voices had echoed their approval, though they sounded more like the roars of… other dragons? He looked around but saw nothing. A sudden movement caught his eye, and he quickly returned his attention to the three beings. Beams of light formed in front of each one. They sped toward him and pierced his chest, pouring power into what felt like his very soul._

" _The power to banish the Darkness dwelleth within thee once again, as doth the power of dragon kind. When the time comes, thou shalt know what to do." Both Hydaelyn and Midgardsormnr soon faded from view._

 _As Shiro gazed up at the dragon circling above him, the mist cleared. Once he could see it properly, his golden eyes became wide with surprise. He recognized the dragon, as it was depicted upon his first amulet, and was the same one that the man fought against._

" _Bahamut!" he exclaimed breathlessly. The dragon nodded his head majestically. Before he could say or do anything else, he saw a flash of emerald eyes and his mind went blank as he drifted into darkness…again._

"… _iro!?" A familiar voice, yet at the same time unfamiliar. And why did they sound so concerned?_

" _Shiro!?" What had happened? The last thing he could recall was staring at the amulet that was given to him by Yuki-nee and then the dream of that battlefield._ _It had felt very familiar, as though he had been there. Then a conversation that he could barely remember, and now he was hearing someone calling out to him._

" _Shi_ ro!?" But where was he now? It felt as though he was lying on his bed, but if that was so, then who brought him up here? Oh yeah… it was obviously Yuki-nee. Stupid grogginess.

"Huh…Wha?" he finally responded groggily. He snapped open his eyes, but soon regretted it as a sharper pain than when he practiced magecraft jabbed at them as sunlight hit them full force. He then slowly began to open his eyes and, carefully so as not be dizzy, sat up on what, as he suspected, was his bed.

"Thank goodness you're awake!" exclaimed Taiga Fujimura, who Shiro was NOT expecting.

"What happened? Where is Yuki-nee, Fuji-nee?" he asked as he shakily tried to stand up.

"Downstairs making us all dinner. Do you realize how much you made us both worry?" Taiga said, gently pushing Shiro back down onto his bed and frowning at him.

"No, why?" He asked, suddenly tense. How long had he been out?!

"You were out cold for about a week!" she responded, "Yuki had to call me so that she could inform the school that you would be absent for a couple of days."

"A week?!" he shouted, causing Fujimura to wince.

"Yes a week. But you should know, we weren't the only ones that were worried sick; Sakura-san was in here every day just to see how you were." She finished with a small smile. "She left earlier today, saying that she'll walk with you to school tomorrow and back home."

Ah yes, Sakura, a young girl Shiro had met while walking home one day with Shinji Mauto, his 'friend' from school. When they had met, Shinji had explained that she was his younger sister and that she was shy. But from just the way the pretty purplette looked fearfully at Shinji, had made Shiro extremely suspicious, thanks to the influence of Yuki. From then on he had made sure that to keep her company to and from middle school. When he began to do so, she began to smile a lot more, and just the way she smiled when he spoke to her had made him feel happy. He also was teaching her how to cook, and she was pretty quick on the uptake thanks to help from Yuki. For some weird reason, Yuki-nee always smiled when the two were together, and constantly teased the two of them. Sakura would blush a shade of red that went well with her hair, while Shiro would just look confused and weirded out while being teased.

He heard Taiga give a cough, breaking him out of his recollection, and when he turned his gaze towards her, she had a smile that said she knew something obvious. But when he looked at her confusedly, Taiga just rolled her eyes and laughed. Then they heard a cry of "Dinner's ready!" from Yuki down the hall in the kitchen.

"Come on, let's head down to eat some of Yuki-san's divine cooking!" exclaimed Taiga suddenly, grabbing Shiro's arm and pulling him along like a ragdoll. Moments later the sound of an argument and the sound of a frying pan hitting someone on the head could be heard.

 **Two hours later…**

Taiga had left about an hour ago, while rubbing her head were the frying pan had hit her, but thanking them for the meal all the same before leaving. As Shiro was just getting finishing the dishes, he heard the sound of Yuki's phone going off. As he got out of the kitchen and into the living room. He heard Yuki say, "…fine how long? Ok I'll let him know." It was then from the corner of his eye he noticed Yuki's sad gaze which was aimed at him.

"What's wrong Yuki-nee?" he questioned her apprehensively. The last time she had that gaze, she had been gone for 2 of the last five years!

She sighed and smiled bitterly as she shook her head, "I guess I can't hide it from you Shiro. You're just too perceptive to people either when they're sad or they have a problem that they need help with."

"Had a lot of help from you in regards to that." He replied.

"Yes you truly did. But the truth is that I'll be gone for five years, on a business trip Shiro" she sighed, "And I don't know if I'll be coming back alive from this round."

Shiro was staring at her with a look of shock. Finally, he said with a quiver in his voice, "Why not?"

"Shiro, I'm a Magus." She answered, "And what I'm about to tell you must never leave…."

"I'm a magus too, Yuki-nee" interrupted Shiro. "So was dad before he died."

Yuki just stared at Shiro in shock with an open mouth for a moment, and then realizing how she looked, shut just as quickly as it had fallen. She knew that Kiritsugu was a Magus, but to think Shiro was one as well…

"….."

"….."

"Tell me Shiro what is your dream?" Yuki said, finally breaking the silence.

"To be an ally of justice," Was the quick response, "I want to be someone who can save everyone."

A pause then a deep sigh. Yuki looked as though she were steeling herself for something, and then…

"Shiro no matter how hard you try," she responded "you won't be able to save everyone."

"But…"

"No listen to me, there are some people so vile and cruel, that only death can save them. I know it's not ideal, but that's the way the world truly is." She interrupted, "And then there's yourself Shiro. My concern is that eventually you'll make a mistake, and end up a broken man!" she shouted at as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"But even if you don't, you'll just end up going down a lonely and senseless path. I never want to see that happen to you, ok?!" Now she was crying now, crying because she thought she couldn't save one of her most precious people in the world from himself and the path he was choosing to pursue. And she was afraid… afraid that if she died she would leave him alone in the world and broken hearted as well.

Shiro was about to retort, when he heard a voice whisper in his ear saying, _**"The grimoire, ask her about the grimoire that she has. The one known as the**_ _ **Draconomicon**_ _ **."**_

Confused but seeking to stop Yuki from crying, he complied to wishes of the voice, which was very familiar….as was the name of the grimoire itself. When Shiro mentioned the name of it, he had an immediate response from her. She sat bolt upright, her eyes wide, and gazing at Shiro with a look of fear mixed with hope on her face.

"How did you know that I have a grimoire? Least of all the name of it?" she asked warily. As Shiro opened his mouth to speak, she stopped him before he could begin. "Never mind, that's not important."

She got up and walked to her room, which was a few rooms down the hall. A few minutes later she was back, carrying a grimoire that looked ancient at first glance, but as he looked closer the pages were still looked brand new. The first thing that one would notice about it was the lock and chain around it, the second was the feeling it gave off, as if it was watching you.

"This grimoire has been passed down in my family for centuries, Shiro. It was given to my ancestor, a man known as Meteor, by his sister, who had just lost her lover and husband after a battle they had against a formidable foe." Yuki explained, handing the it to him. "The grimoire belonged to his fallen friend, who he viewed like the brother he had never had, and as he traveled, he re-forged it many times until he could improve it no more. The lock will, according to Meteor, only open to one who is worthy, or a reincarnation of his brother in arms."

Once Shiro got a firm grip upon the grimoire, there was a resounding click, and the lock opened. Shiro looked up at Yuki, startled, and saw that she was smiling with happiness. But a sudden yawn escaped her, ruining the moment and telling them it was time to sleep. Another yawn, this one from Shiro, and he grinned sheepishly, before he started laughing quietly.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Come on I'll explain it later." she yawned again… and walked straight into the wall and fell down on the floor, clutching her head.

"Itai!"

Shiro burst out laughing. Then he went and helped her up like the gentleman he was.

 **The day of Yuki's departure…**

Shiro sighed, as he watched the airplane that had Yuki-nee on board, take off. Soon he and Fuji-nee were getting in the car, driving back to Fuyuki city.

He and Yuki-nee had spent most of the remaining time together training him, using both the grimoire and the spells that came with it, as well as his skills in Reinforcement and Projection. When he told her how he had been practicing his Magecraft she went on a rant. After she ranted about how bad Kiritsugu-baka was at teaching, she then explained the proper way to use his magic circuits. He laughed as he remembered Yuki-nee's dumbfounded expression when he had told her that he had discovered that his origin was Sword, the same as his element. She had, after getting over her shock, double checked for him, and discovered a hidden origin and element that were locked away by, as she explained with a serious expression, an extremely powerful divine being.

Not everything they did was successful however. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't cast any of the three summoning spells from the grimoire's repertoire. He also had a problem with the normal spells, as they kept blowing up in his face. It was a wonder no one had reported any of the explosions to the police.

A few days after all those discoveries, explanations, and mysteries, it was time for Yuki to depart for her 'business' trip. Sakura had seen all three of them off at the estate. Taiga was driving, as Yuki for all her skill in things, was a far worse driver than her.

She admitted to herself as she got into car saying, "These Root-damned contraptions hate me. The last time I drove one, it ended up leaving me behind with the steering wheel! I was in the driveway thankfully that time. I still can't wrap my head around that one though."

They had settled into silence after laughing and joking about halfway to the airport. Very quickly, at least to Shiro, they were at the gate. Right after they had arrived at the gate, the call for boarding the plane was announced. Yuki-nee was headed to London, and more specifically, the Clock Tower. She had told him, that despite her business with them, that she hated them for their cold and indifferent attitude, and morally questionable experiments. She warned him never to approach them unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Shiro?" Came the voice of Taiga, breaking him out of his reverie. "We're here." She was turned around in her seat, looking at him with a sad expression herself. No matter how many fights she and Yuki had gotten into, she considered Yuki a very close friend.

"Thanks for the help Fuji-nee" he said.

"Anytime Shiro, anytime."

'It'll be another five years before she comes home,' Shiro thought, as he got out of the car, and bid her a nice night. He watched as she drove away to her house, before approaching the front door of the estate. 'Better make the most of it.'

 **AN: So how was it? Did you like it? Hate it? If** **anyone is interested, I am open to suggestions and constructive criticism so please leave those kinds of reviews, flaming reviews will be turned away at the door. PM if you have info that you think I could use, as I'm not well informed on certain things in the Nasuverse and its lore. Well everyone until next time!**

 **JA NE!**


	2. Chapter 1: Sleeping Dragons Stir

**AN: Phew already 502 views already. And in just four days too. Thank you all who have reviewed so far, it really makes me happy just to hear your thoughts about my story! Now for the disclaimer.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing from either of the Final Fantasy XIV or Fate/stay night. Got it?! Good!**

 **Now on with the story!**

 **The Wyrmlord's Fate**

 **Chapter 1: Sleeping Dragons Stir**

 **The Night before Yuki's return…**

Now 19 years old, Shiro Emiya wiped away the sweat with the sleeve of his blue-shouldered white jersey, which had been collecting on his brow, as he finally finished cleaning Homurahara High's archery dojo. He sighed happily, it had been a long 5 years but finally, finally Yuki-nee would be coming home tomorrow! As he wasn't in school, he was wearing one of his casual outfits, with his black blazer on a rack near the dojo entrance.

She had sent a letter to them about a week ago, asking the usual stuff and to tell them that her work was complete. He chuckled as remembered Fuji-nee's reaction to that, the brunette had been practically bouncing off the walls in her excitement. He couldn't also wait to tell her that he had finally mastered a spell from the grimoire, one that he had accidently discovered: **Sun Flare**.

He was researching how to use a skill called a "Trance", a method used by an empire by the name of Allag, that was mentioned in the grimoire. But wherever Shiro had looked, he couldn't find a single shred of evidence that the empire had even existed, not even any myths or legends! And he was stumped further as to how he could ever make the "Trance" work, as most of the pages of the grimoire that he was directed to were blank. He had supposed that there was some sort of mage craft or other stuff in play. Maybe he was just overthinking things.

He started to softly a hum a tune as he was putting away the janitorial supplies. One that had gotten stuck inside his mind, like a bug in amber. Ever since he had had that strange dream, that song had been inside his mind after he had woken up. He could barely remember anything from the dream unfortunately, it was as though a dense layer of fog clouded his mind.

Once he finished putting away the supplies, he grabbed his black blazer from where he had set it down and walked out of the dojo, locking it behind him. As he began walking through the hallways towards the school courtyard, he began to softly sing the tune. As he did so, he failed to notice that both of his amulets were starting to glow beneath his jersey.

" _To all of my children in whom life flows abundant,_

 _To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgement!_

 _The soul yearns for honor,_

 _And the flesh the hereafter._

 _Look to those who've walked before,_

 _To lead those who walk after…."_

He suddenly stopped as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end, and he froze as his sixth sense went haywire. One thing Shiro, and just about everyone who knew him personally; had noticed over the past five years, was that his senses had gotten inhumanely sharper, especially his sixth sense.

Alarm bells were still going off inside his mind, for his nose had caught wind of two unnatural scents mixed together out in the courtyard. His ears had also picked up the clash of steel on steel, and he frowned at that particular bit. As he cautiously neared the entryway to the dojo, the sounds of the fighting grew louder, and the unnatural scents becoming more distinct and easier to differentiate.

Once he reached the entrance, he discovered that one of the doors was open, much to his annoyance. That was just going to make him easier to be seen to whomever was out there! Still this was his only way to get home. Heart pounding in his chest, Shiro leaned against the closed door, and peered around its corner.

At first he saw nothing, but then came the clashing sound of metal, and two men jumped into his line of sight. One them, a black haired man with red eyes, was wielding what looked to be a simple crimson spear, but the prickling sensation on the back of his neck told him otherwise. The man was decked in blue armor, and from what he saw, the armor was centered around flexibility, agility, and most importantly speed. His scent was one of the ones he had been tracking, and was that of dog that had just gone for a swim. Shiro soon put a hand over his nose to stifle the stench. The spearman's crimson eyes were, thankfully, focused on his opponent. With another clash of weapons Shiro witnessed the black haired man's inhuman speed and flexibility. The way the spearman fought with the blood-red spear was incredible, he used it as though it were an extension of his own body. Shiro knew then and there, that as he was now, that he didn't stand a chance against him. Two more times did the spearman strike, and twice more did his opponent dodge.

His opponent was a tanned man clad in a red overcoat and underneath that, a black bulky bodysuit. He was wielding twin curved swords, one black as the void between stars, the other whiter than freshly fallen snow. His eyes were a sickly looking yellow, and through them Shiro saw a man that suffered beyond most people's comprehension. His scent was that of Fire and Steel, and of too much Blood.

It was then that Shiro made a mistake. All while he had been observing both of these men, he had been unaware that he had been pressing up against the handle of the door he was leaning on. Just as he was wondering what he should do and how to get out of this situation, he unintentionally applied enough force to the handlebar. The door swung forward and Shiro, not expecting that, fell face first. He managed to catch himself, thus preventing a broken nose, but he had bigger concerns at the moment as both men had stopped their fight, and stared at him. Shiro quickly got to his feet and ran back the way he came. There was another exit on the far side of the school, if he could just reach it maybe, just maybe he could survive…

Servant Lancer knew that his good fortune wouldn't last for very long. Why? It's because his luck rating wouldn't allow it. His luck stat was an E, meaning that he had very, VERY bad luck. He had looking around just observing the area as per his orders, when he had been attacked by another Servant, which was good as he had been getting bored.

A few minutes later and he was having a blast. His opponent, an Archer class Servant if the bow he had used in the beginning was any indication, was good, extremely good. Now, however he was using twin swords of black and white. But what bothered him was the form he was using, while his opponent may have left openings in his defense, they were just a lure so he could retaliate to score a hit on you.

Just as Lancer was considering bringing out the big guns, the sound of a door opening made both him and Archer pause their fight. As he turned to look in the direction the sound had come from, he saw a boy, just barely a young man, put his arms out in front of himself just in time to break his fall. He groaned to himself, as the boy had quickly gotten to his feet, and tried to make a run for it back the way he came. He looked at the other servant, who just looked back with an impassive expression.

Lancer sighed, "I guess I'll do it then."

He then sped off in the direction that the boy had gone. He really didn't want too, but he had no choice but to kill the boy. No witnesses, just one of the rules of the Holy Grail War that he didn't like.

Shiro ran, it felt as if his heart was beating in his throat. When he turned a corner particularly fast, he took a quick look over his shoulder.

'Yup, inhumanly speedy guy still coming at me', he thought to himself grimly, as the man in blue armor chased him. Then he grimaced as he put a hand up to cover his nose, "He still smells like a wet dog, hasn't he ever heard of taking a bath?"

Shiro suddenly felt a chill run up and down his spine, and looked over his shoulder at his pursuer, who before had been casually running through the halls as though he chased someone every day. Now he had gained an angry glint in his crimson eyes, and had sped up his pace dramatically.

"…Oops." Shiro gulped.

He tried to pick up his pace, as the blue warrior was getting way too close for comfort, urging his legs to move faster. Surprisingly, they did so, as he felt a strange sort of energy surge through his body. It wasn't prana, or mana, that was for sure. Ignoring this strange fact, he continued to sprint and, when he glanced behind him, the spearman was nowhere in his field of vision. He still didn't relax as he knew that, if he wanted to, the man could catch up to him.

Finally, he reached the other side of the school. But when he went to open the doors he found, much to his horror, that they were locked. When he glanced behind him, he saw that the man pursuing him, was about halfway down the hall. Panicking as he pushed against the doors, he suddenly felt another surge of that strange power flow through him. A great shrieking of metal hinges being torn apart, and slowly but surely the doors began to give way. He looked behind himself once again; the spearman had halted suddenly, gazing at Shiro warily.

 **BANG! WHAM!**

With an almighty crashing sound of wood and metal, the doors finally fell to the ground outside. As Shiro started running again, his pursuer, suddenly becoming aware of the situation, spat out a curse in what sounded like Gaelic and threw his spear.

The man's spear struck true, hitting Shiro in his right leg. He cried out in shock as his blood splattered on the ground, and fell a few feet away from the now broken doorway. As he scrambled to stand up, he felt the cold steel of an armored boot press down upon him. Shiro winced as, with a sound of tearing flesh, more of his blood flew onto the concrete sidewalk.

Shiro was then forcefully rolled onto his back, and stared up at the crimson eyed man who had wounded him.

 _ **BA-BUMP!**_

"Why…?" Shiro managed to croak out. It was getting harder for him to **HEAR, FEEL,** and **THINK.** His entire body felt as if it were on **FIRE.** Unnoticed by either him or his would be **KILLER,** his amulets had begun to glow.

 _ **BA-BUMP!**_

"Sorry kid, nothing personal." The spearman sighed. "It's just that there can't be any witnesses."

 _ **BA-BUMP! BA-BUMP!**_

"Wit…ness….es?!" Shiro struggled to question the **WARRIOR DRESSED IN BLUE ARMOR. HE FELT AS IS IF HIS SOUL WAS ROARING AND RAGING AT THIS MAN'S WORDS.**

 _ **BABUMP!BABUMP!BABUMP!**_

The spearman frowned as he finally noticed, the glowing of the amulets, which were beginning to shine like newborn stars. He chose his next words carefully, not knowing how this situation was going to turn out.

"One of the rules of the Holy Grail War." He responded slowly. At Shiro's confused and pained look "I know you're a Magus kid, how ran away and the way you dealt with that doorway was pretty obvious. But seriously, to not even know about the war? Sheesh!"

"Well that's enough out of me, but seeing as you won't be around for much longer," The spearman said with an air finality, as raised he his weapon to strike point blank at **SHIRO'S HEART.** "I guess I'll tell you my name. You can call me Lancer."

 _ **BABUMPBABUMPBABUMPBABUMP!**_

 _ **He closed his eyes awaiting the deathblow.**_ **He didn't want to die, not now. Not before he could see Yuki-nee again. He didn't want to leave Fuji-nee, or Sakura broken hearted at his death. A sudden image of a woman flashed before his eyes.**

 **She was a beautiful woman, clothed in white, with her golden hair flowing down her shoulders. She radiated grace, and charisma and her emerald green eyes, which shone brighter than the stars above, stared at him with love and adoration. Yet tears were flowing down her face. She was crying. Why was she crying? A sudden feeling of warm lips pressing up against his own, and three whispered words.**

" **I love you."**

 **But why did the young woman seem so familiar? It was if he had seen her in a dream. If only he could remember.**

 **He was fading fast, his mind becoming clouded with fog. When he heard a sudden cry of shock and despair, "No please, hold on! Please don't die! Don't leave me behind again!"**

 **Something inside of him snapped, as though a dam had broken and a river of power was suddenly allowed to surge through him. He couldn't leave the woman or anyone else behind, not again! Not if he could help it! Hell would freeze over before…before…. His mind went blank.**

" _ **GRRRRAAAAAH!" Roared Shiro, his right arm suddenly transforming. His nails lengthened and sharpened, becoming claws. Scales the color obsidian and harder than diamond sprouted up along his arm, ruining the right sleeve of both his blazer and jersey.**_

 _ **His AMULET and PENDANT were BLAZING AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN. As the ruby eyes of the WYRM AMULET began blazing with an inner flame, the SEVEN CRYSTALS and TWELVE SYMBOLS started PULSING with RAINBOW LIGHT. His eyes had snapped open to show that his IRISES, his irises had become cat-like….no DRAGON-LIKE. His eye color had changed from the brightest GOLD, to a FIERY CRIMSON.**_

 **Another roar came from Shiro's mouth and echoed throughout the area of the school. He then slowly rose up on his own two legs, the wound on his thigh healing rapidly. He then turned his gaze upon the spearman. Fiery crimson eyes, that burned with an unspeakable and unquenchable rage.**

The Spearman stared stunned at the transformation, as well as the sight of the wound made by his spear, which was healing quickly before his eyes. Momentarily forgetting he had a weapon, the blue warrior backed away fast.

 **Shiro's right arm twitched and suddenly shot forward, aiming for his enemy's chest.**

"Gaaaaaaaah!", Lancer shouted in pain.

Apparently not fast enough. As the man tried to dodge, **Shiro's claws pierced the chest plate of the warrior's armor.** Blood dripped to the ground form the gash in the armor, as the man finally was able put distance between himself and…whatever the boy had become.

Dodging another blow, this one aimed at his head. He suddenly remembered his spear, as he had automatically used it to block the other strike that came quickly after. Lancer totally felt like an idiot, as having been in a blind panic, he was nearly defeated by this boy in one blow. Blow after blow came from **Shiro,** and each time Lancer narrowly dodged a death blow.

This was insane, how could the boy be keeping up with him?! Him the fastest Servant class? Jumping backward, he finally managed to put enough distance between himself and the boy. Subconsciously, he put a hand to his chest, and he felt something wet touch his hand. He quickly removed his hand, and when he looked at it he saw a bright crimson covering it.

He glanced down at his ruined chest plate and grimaced, the wound the boy had inflicted there was healing. But it was at an extremely slow pace, still at an inhuman rate, but not as fast as it should have been. Which, he told to himself, should not have been possible, as normally superficial wounds healed in an instant. When he looked back at the Shiro, his face paled.

 **Shiro** still in an uncontrollable rage, had begun to charge his newly acquired spell: **Sun Flare.** From his position, Lancer could tell that whatever spell the boy was trying to use, it wouldn't be good for him. Heck from what he could tell the spell would probably destroy the surroundings along with him! The spell that was being charged in the palm of the boy's reptilian hand was blazing like a miniature sun. He could have sworn he also saw the ghostly shape of a dragon, fangs bared and wings spread wide, hovering behind the boy and glaring at him with barely contained rage.

'It's now, or never…I think I'll take the now option.', He thought readying himself. He gripped the spear in his hand more tightly, as he steeled himself, having made his choice to stay and fight.

The air froze, his spear had begun to vibrate in his hand as he suddenly threw himself forward. Then Lancer shouted two words to the still night air, each one annunciated loudly and clearly for the entire world to hear.

"GAE!"

Purple and crimson energy suddenly sprung to life upon his weapon, ready to end its master's enemies. Lancer suddenly smirked maliciously at the boy, and as his hand shot forward aimed at his heart. **Shiro's Heart.**

"BOLG!"

The newly revealed Spear of Impaling Barbed Death was thrust forward and its aim this time, was truly deadly. With a terrible squelching noise, Gae Bolg pierced Shiro's chest, completely dodging the attempted block, and through his Heart.

The spell that **Shiro** had been charging, slowly faded away. His body gave out a loud thudding sound as he fell to the concrete pavement. As the scales on Shiro's arm retreated, Lancer gave a sigh of relief, "Phew that was a close one."

A sudden ear splitting **ROAR** came from Shiro's mouth once again and this one was full of power. This time, it was heard throughout the entire city of Fuyuki and, though mortal and magus ears alike could not hear it past the city limits, throughout the world. It shattered the entirety of the glass windows of the school, nearby houses, caused distress to multiple animals as they heard the roar of a predator supreme, and woke many a person up from their sleep. It also caused the electric grid to go on the fritz which caused some accidents at traffic stops, there were no blackouts though, thankfully.

Those people who were awakened by the roar, went immediately back to sleep, thankfully enough thinking it was just in their dreams, though there was going to be a lot of gossip tomorrow morning when the results were in plain sight. It also caused a certain black haired female magus to pause where she was, who had been running after the two.

Stunned for a few minutes Cuchulainn, the Hound of Culann gave himself a small shake. Now was not the time for fear! He had to get back to his master, and report what he had just witnessed. With a bloody gurgle, he pulled Gae Bolg free of the boy's slowly dying body. He saw, much to his astonishment, that the boy was still alive somehow. which was miraculous, as normally any being, be they mortal or Servant, would have died from a punctured heart. Still thought Lancer, as the boy started to cough up blood, the boy would be dead soon.

He glanced down at his chest, and saw that, to his relief, the bleeding had stopped. But when looked more closely he saw that, much to his shock and horror, three thin diagonal scars had formed were he had been wounded. Servants couldn't, no… shouldn't get scars as they were basically spirits!

'This is impossible!', he thought, 'what is he?!'

Glancing fearfully at Shiro's still bleeding body, Lancer retreated. That boy was going to be a problem in the furture, he was sure of it, that is if boy survived. He highly doubted it that boy would of course. But still, considering his luck…. he let loose a small sigh. Curse his E-rank luck.

* * *

Rin Tohsaka was not an easy person to catch off guard. But what had just happened, completely caught her flat-footed. So had the after effects of the roar. So naturally she was flustered and angry, very angry indeed, though she managed to hide it well. But still, she had more important matters to attend to. Like making sure that Shiro Emiya, whom she had seen getting chased by the servant Lancer, was okay.

Unfortunately, Shiro had somehow increased his speed and was now on the far side of the school, along with Lancer. As soon as she arrived, however, Rin suddenly froze as she took in the sight of Shiro's punctured and bloody body.

"Oh no…", Rin whispered to herself, as she started running again.

When she reached him, Rin found that, much to her relief, Shiro was still alive, but just barely. She panicked for a moment, as the thought of his death terrified her, trying to figure out different methods on how to save him. Then with a look of realization, she started to fumble for something beneath her red turtle-necked sweater, her servant Archer appeared searching for any threats. As she pulled out what she was looking for, a bird shaped jeweled pendent filled to the brim with what appeared to be concentrated magical energy, he suddenly spoke up, gazing at the remains of the doorway.

"Are you sure you want to use that on him, Master?" he asked Rin, looking on as her pendent began to glow. She ignored his question, as most of her concentration was focused on saving Shiro. Archer suddenly grinned cheekily, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and said, "If didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on him."

Rin blushed and her eyes narrowed, but didn't retaliate as she was still focused on resuscitating Shiro. But was it Archer's imagination, or was it getting warm out here? Still even if his Master denied it, it was obvious that she DID have a crush on the young man before them.

A blinding flash of light later, and the hole in Shiro's chest had disappeared. Rin gave a soft sigh of relief, the wound had unfortunately used up all of the energy stored within her necklace, but Shiro was thankfully out of danger. As her dainty fingers touched his chest, with one hand pressed there to check and see if the newly regrown organ was functioning properly.

Her other hand was unconsciously feeling him up, his muscles were lithe, yet strong and very well developed. With his temperament, the way he acted chivalrously towards others, and from the way his muscles felt, he was like a knight in shining armor. Oh yes, she thought letting out a low moan of pleasure, she could see him now storming a castle to save a damsel in distress without regard for his own safety, sweeping her of her feet. As those thoughts were going through her head, the hand that had been placed against his chest, was even now subconsciously moving down beneath her skirt…

An embarrassed cough came from Archer. Rin suddenly flushed a color that was alternating between scarlet and hot pink as she realized what she had just been doing. She immediately whipped her hand out of skirt, and, trying not to think of just how wet she felt down there, stood up. She took a quick glance at her Servant, and saw that he had his back turned to her.

Once he heard her stand up, Archer turned around and spoke to her with that cheeky grin still in place, though there was a bit of a flush to his face.

"Are you done yet? Cause if your….", he started, but he suddenly had to dodge a **Curse of Gandr** that had been cast by an extremely irate and flustered Rin Tohsaka. As she stormed away, her Servant following warily behind her, she felt like she had forgotten something…ah well.

The glinting of Rin's jeweled pendent in the moonlight, still upon Shiro's chest, was all that gave any indication that she had been there.

* * *

Shiro groggily came too, a few minutes after Rin and Archer had left. Shaken and dazed, he slowly got up, and as he did so he felt something fall from his, now that he noticed it, scarred chest, from directly over his heart. His hand automatically reached out and caught… a jeweled pendent? He gave the object another glance.

Yup that's what it was. More specifically, it was carved into the shape of what looked like a bird surrounded by flames. Oddly enough, Shiro thought he had seen it somewhere before, both the pendent and the bird depicted on it. His nose suddenly picked up another scent, one that was fresher and new. It smelled like fresh volcanic earth, exotic spices and…. was that arousal? He sniffed the surrounding air again. Yup it certainly was.

As he was pondering that bit of info, he suddenly remembered why he had been lying on the ground and he looked warily around searching for any sign of the man called Lancer. Finding no sign of him, he let out a sigh of relief, and slowly began his long trek back home, still clutching the bird shaped pendent.

What was actually minutes, had felt like hours to Shiro, as he finally reached his house. Just as he got through the front door, he felt a chill up and down his spine. His instincts had never failed him before, and he wasn't going to ignore them now. He sniffed the air and suddenly wished he hadn't, as he clapped a hand to cover his nose from the scent of wet dog. But still, he at least knew now that he had been spotted and followed by the man known as Lancer.

"I know you're out there. Show yourself!", shouted Shiro, trying to sound braver than he felt. There was no response, but as Shiro slowly backed his way into his home, the warrior in blue charged him from out of the darkness. Shiro had just barely managed to dodge that surprise blow.

But as soon as he picked himself up, he nearly fell again as the _**Draconomicon**_ came flying down the hallway, just barely grazing his blood-red hair, and smacked itself binding first, on Lancer's forehead. Both of the combatants froze as they heard a young male voice that came from the grimoire say, "Oh no you don't you….", its pages turned suddenly and rapidly.

"You stinky Morbol! Ugh, I really ruined that one, didn't I Shiro?", Shiro just sighed wondering what other weird things were about to happen to him, while Lancer still looked stunned, while rubbing his forehead.

"Oh yeah, speaking of ruin! Here, try to dodge this! RUIN III!" it shouted rapidly, as it shot a spell straight at the spearman. It hit the still stunned man in the chest and knocked him out the way he had come in. "Direct hit! Oh yeah, that's going directly into my records section!"

A tiny dinging sound and then it said, "Done!", then turned around and looked out the now broken doorway, "Oh look the, Morbol is coming back for more!", And indeed he was.

Lancer had an expression of embarrassment mixed with fury. As he ran back towards them, he shouted, "Once I'm through with the boy, I'm going to burn that book to ashes!"

"Errrr…. Technically I'm a grimoire", responded the object of Lancer's ire. "And I won't let you harm my master!"

The spearman just charged forth, knocking the grimoire aside with his weapon, into, ironically, a bookcase in the living room, and the force of the collision knocked the bookcase down. They heard it cry from under the pile of books, "Would you all please get off of me?" and weirdly enough, several muffled responses.

"I can't, get up because of mister world encyclopedia here..."

"Hey could someone help me? My binders are both stuck under a shelf."

"Yeah, I can see that, just let me…ugh, nope, can't move an inch."

Ignoring this, Lancer charged at Shiro and pushed him through the window facing the yard containing his workshop. With the sound of breaking glass, Shiro landed with a crunching noise in the said yard.

As Shiro struggled to stand, Lancer leapt through the now broken window and casually walked towards the red head. When Shiro had managed to get to his feet, Lancer was already right next to him. The spearman then grabbed the golden eyed boy by the collar of his now ruined jersey, and threw the red haired boy with all his strength straight into the door of his shed aka, his Magus Workshop. With the resounding crash of splintering wood, he broke through the door and landed hard upon his back.

As he struggled to get up, he saw that Lancer had already reached the entryway and knew that it was useless to resist. As the man raised his weapon, he closed his eyes waiting for what was sure to be the deathblow. His only regret was that he would never know who that woman in white was, and the feeling he would never see her, or anyone else cared about again. He could have sworn he was hearing things, as he heard the echo of a reprise. His amulet and pendent giving of a faint glow, to faint for either of them to notice.

A sudden flash of light momentarily blinded both Shiro, who felt a burning sensation on his left hand, and Lancer who was stunned, as he knew what was happening.

A few minutes of pulsing, and by this point in time both men could now see, they saw the summoning circle give off a final pulse of power as it dispersed. A young woman had appeared from the circle and her gaze fell immediately upon lancer, and the way his spear was pointed at Shiro. Her hands suddenly clenched upon something invisible, something that was two handed, and charged at Lancer. She attacked with a powerful overhead strike which Lancer managed to block, but the force behind it was so strong that he was sent flying out of the shed.

It was then that woman began to speak, "I am Servant Saber."

His chest ached, ached both in his heart and lungs, and he realized that he hadn't been breathing properly. He inhaled sharply. Two powerful scents were coming of the woman in front of him; the scent of burgundy and fresh water, both of which he found intoxicating for some reason.

"Upon your summoning, I have come forth.", the woman, now identified as Saber continued stoically.

She was a tall (to a point) and proud woman, clad in a royal blue dress and silvery-grey armor. Her golden blonde was done up in bun, and upon her face was a fierce, unreadable look. But her eyes, here Shiro gulped down a lump in his throat, were a bright emerald green, and there was a coldness in them like that of pure ice. A look he could tell that was not of her own choice, but rather by necessity. In Shiro's opinion, she was beautiful beyond compare, equal only to the woman from his dreams.

"I ask of you: are you my Master?" she finished, still gazing at Shiro.

His was wrenched from his control and the words left his lips of their own accord. "I am." He told her. He swallowed. His throat was suddenly dry.

She glanced down at his left hand, and so did he, and there, etched into his flesh in red ink, were what appeared to runic seals. Three of them in total.

"Yes, you summoned me," she said. She looked back into his eyes. "And as a Saber, I heeded your call. My sword will be at your side from here on forward. From now on, whatever fate awaits you awaits me. The accord with us has now been struck."

But then she stiffened, and Shiro was flung from his stupor as she turned and leapt for the destroyed doorway. He lurched to his feet.

"Wait!" he cried out to her, and latched onto her wrist. She looked back at him. Startled bewilderment was written all over face, and he suddenly realized that why he had stopped her or what to even say now that he had done so.

A half-forgotten memory that had been shadowed with fog, suddenly came crashing full force to the front of his mind, like a wave upon a beach. The words "Gae Bolg". The sudden feeling of his chest pierced all the way through to his heart.

"This guy, Lancer I think he said his name was," he said haltingly. "He used some sort of crimson spear on me before. Gae Bolg, I think. I can't really remember much about when he nearly killed me with it though."

Saber's face lit up, first with surprise, then with recognition.

"I see," she said neutrally. "Thank you, Master."

She then tore out of the shed and out of his grip, and he was left standing there with his empty hand outstretched. His palm was tingling pleasantly, though why, he couldn't say for sure.

As he ran out of his workshop and out into the yard, where he saw Saber and Lancer dueling each other, dancing about, stabbing and slicing and twirling like acrobats. Lancer's skill was obvious, as Shiro knew well having seen him fight the other Servant, but Saber knocked every blow aside and struck back with powerful, two-handed strikes that would have broken a normal man's arms. Then with a final war cry, they swung at each other and were forced apart by the force of each other's blow.

"Tch!" growled the spearman. "What are you, a coward? Why don't you stop hiding behind that weapon and reveal it?"

Her response was to leap at him again and drive him back with three more strikes, each of which rang out loudly and clearly in the still night air. Lancer grimaced, Shiro could see quite clearly the barest of nicks in the shaft of Gae Bolg.

"Come now, Lancer," Saber said coyly. "Are you going to attack, or should I? if you retreat now, you'll disgrace your class."

He twitched and looked as though he might retaliate, but then he paused. As Lancer looked down towards the ground and muttered something under his breath, Saber frowned at him. He then looked up and said, "I've already done that tonight, thank you very much."

Saber continued to frown as Lancer continued to rant.

"It just so happens your Master," he spat. "Happened to give me the biggest fright of my life, just so you know."

Saber looked back at her Master with a look of confusion, who looked back at her just as confused.

Lancer looked particularly relieved at look on Shiro's face. Deciding to change the subject, he asked, "Answer me a question, though first," Lancer's lips pulled into a tight grin. "Your Noble Phantasm it's a sword, right?"

A look of bewilderment crossed Saber's face before a strange sort of half-smirk pulled at her mouth. It looked vaguely creepy, if you wanted Shiro's honest opinion.

"Maybe," she said mysteriously, "maybe not. It could be an axe. Or not. Maybe I have something completely different, like a bow."

Lancer just scoffed.

"Get real, _Saber_ ," he said. He crouched low and poised the tip of his spear, a few inches above the ground. "This is just our first encounter. Whaddya say give it a rest and call it a draw?"

Saber's gaze hardened, and Lancer gulped.

"Sorry, Lancer, but I finish what I start. Once two Servants meet in battle, necessity dictates that only one may walk away," she declared harshly. "Besides, now that I've determined your identity, your obligated to stay and finish, Hound of Culann."

Lancer flinched violently once again, and grimaced. "Oh? And how did you figure that one out?"

"Simple really, the last Lancer I fought possessed a different weapon, and I can tell by looking at you, and from the fact that your spear has had no effect what so ever on my Invisible Air, that you're not him," Saber said. "You're a Lancer, and your Noble Phantasm is Gae Bolg, so that made it relatively easy to figure out who you are. Therefore, the only person you could possibly be is Cuchulainn, the Hound of Culann. Partial credit goes to my Master, for remembering the name of your Noble Phantasm."

Shiro who had been standing on the sidelines, listening to their conversation, jumped slightly at the mention of him.

Lancer frowned as he looked over at him, but then he returned his gaze to Saber, saying, "Well, now, I really didn't expect your Master to remember that bit of information. Still," his frown had turned into a malicious grin, "that won't save you! Not from _my_ spear!"

As the air froze, and Shiro suddenly saw himself in Saber's place, as though his mind were replaying a reel of film. He saw as Lancer suddenly threw himself forward at her, the distance between the two closing rapidly instantaneously. Shiro suddenly knew that Saber, for all her speed, couldn't evade this attack. He somehow knew that once the name of the Spear of Impaling Barbed Death was cried by Lancer, it would strike Saber's heart, killing hear instantly. Once the attack began there was no stopping it. But was there any way to stop it?

 _ **BA-BUMP!**_

He couldn't let Lancer kill Saber, not when she had saved his life.

"Shiro-san!" came the cry of the grimoire who had finally, managed to get free of the others. The book's pages looked a bit ruffled, but it otherwise was fine. "Are you ok? What's going…" it stopped suddenly, finally noticing Saber and her predicament. "We need to help her, Shiro!"

"I know but what can I do?!" he roared at the grimoire, startling the book into temporary silence, as it had seen his eyes flash to a _**Fiery Crimson**_ and back again.

" **Shiro-san,"** the grimoire began, it's deeper and older than before, which startled Shiro, _ **"**_ **wield me."**

 _ **BA-BUMP!BA-BUMP!**_

Shiro not knowing what to else to do, grabbed a hold of the _**Draconomicon**_ , and when he did so at that moment, time stood still. His amulet, more specifically the one depicting the great wyrm with it's wings spread wide, flared again with a brilliant rainbow light. Then he heard three words, words full to the brim of power, like a goblet that was overflowing with water.

 **HEAR. FEEL. THINK.**

There was a blinding flash of light and Shiro slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them, he suddenly he found he was no longer in his casual clothes. He was now in what appeared to be mage robes, ones that he had seen and heard the name of once in his dreams.

"Aren't these DreadWrym robes?!" he cried out in shock. Yes, indeed they were, and he soon felt from the robes a surge of power and knowledge. But he could tell that the full extent of the power and knowledge were still locked. Locked away behind a powerful barrier inside his very soul.

It was then that time slowly returned to normal, and both Servants sluggishly continued their deadly dance as if they were in slow motion. Shiro, now filled with a sense of purpose, formed a quill from what he now knew to be aether, and started to write in the _**Draconomicon.**_ With only 3 seconds left, Shiro quickly glanced up from writing. Time had almost returned to normal.

2 seconds and time returned full at speed.

"GAE!"

One second left! Saber braced herself for the inevitable.

"Bol-"

"Reawaken from the depths of this Earth's light! Come forth and defend us! Titan, Lord of Crags, Father and Guardian of the Kobolds, I summon you!" Shiro shouted, out to the night air.

As the space between Saber and Lancer suddenly became awash with the flow of aether, the entire city of Fuyuki began to shake as though an Earthquake were occurring. Only those attuned to the flow of aether, who were mortal, or were pure of heart, could feel this quake.

Great chunks of rock, veined with yellow crystals, formed between both Servants. Soon the rocks rose up into the air and suddenly collided into one another. A beam of light suddenly shot down from out of the sky and caused an explosion. From the epi-center of this reaction, arose a giant of a primal man made of what looked to be obsidian. In the center of this being's chest was a pure white crystal, that pumped earth attuned aether throughout its body.

Titan slowly turned to look at Shiro, and nodded his head, as if in thanks. He then turned his attention to Lancer, who had finished his incantation, as if he hadn't noticed what Shiro was doing

"-g!"

Lancer grinned triumphantly, but that grin slowly turned to horror, as slowly, the massive form of Titan appeared to him. Gae Bolg, the Spear of Impaling Barbed Death had gone, for the heart closest thing it could sense, that being Titan. But it had been stopped cold as hit a divine barrier, and was deflected on contact.

"Wha…what is that thing?!" the crimson eyed man shouted, taken aback by Titan's sudden appearance. Lancer's face was as white as a ghost.

" **I? I am Titan, Lord of Crags. I am the very power of the element of Earth given shape and form!"** he answered his voice rumbling like that of a rockslide.

Saber too, was stunned and she was staring wide eyed at the massive form of Titan. When she glanced over at her Master, she was startled to see that he had what looked to be a grimoire in his hand, staring right at Lancer with a look of defiance etched upon his face.

"Titan, meet Lancer. Lancer meet Titan." Shiro said with a stony expression upon his face.

"Uhhhh… nope! Not gonna happen! See ya!" spluttered Lancer, and he flat out ran away. As far away from the being who had stopped his Noble Phantasm cold. He wasn't stupid he knew a lost fight when he saw one.

" **Should I pursue him, Shiro?" Titan ground out in a gravelly voice.**

"No, I don't think he'll bother us anytime soon. Would you like to return home or…?" Shiro began as Saber stood there looking between the two, her mouth agape.

" **Yes I think I should, as my presence will no doubt not go unnoticed." Answered the Lord of Crags. "May the Earth beneath your foes quake, Shiro."**

As Titan faded from existence, Shiro heard movement around the other side of the house. He slowly nodded his head in the direction of the noise. Saber was still a bit dumbstruck and shaken, but quickly snapped out of it as she heard the movement as well. She tensed up suddenly, and, before Shiro could stop her, sped out of his sight.

"Whaa…? Wait, Saber!" he shouted after her, and he soon tore off in pursuit.

As soon as he came around the corner, he saw Saber engaged with the same man that had fought Lancer. Looking around he suddenly noticed a classmate of his, one Rin Tohsaka. A cry came from the red cloaked man as Saber scored a direct hit, carving a diagonal slash mark across his chest, not fatal, but it certainly was debilitating.

"Archer vanish!" Rin shouted to the man, and he complied, as with a grimace he suddenly disappeared, so all Saber's sword hit was thin air.

Before he could say or do anything, Saber started to run towards Rin with the intent to cut her in half.

"Saber stop!" he shouted at her. But Saber ignored him running at Rin with her invisible blade raised high, and Rin stood tall with closed her eyes. Shiro could only watch with growing horror, as Saber approached Rin, but then she suddenly froze, a blank look on her face.

Shiro then took notice of faintly glowing light. He soon realized that it was coming from one of the amulets that he wore! Before he could look at them, the light faded and Saber eyes refocused. She slowly lowered her weapon, and then backhanded Rin right into a nearby wall.

Rin slammed against the wall, crumpled like a sheet of paper, and gasped as she had the wind knocked out of her lungs. She went still for a moment and when she opened her eyes, Saber's invisible sword was pointed threatningly at her.

"Yield." Saber stated coldly.

There was only silence, as Rin said nothing.

"I suppose," she started, "I could have been happy if a competent Magus had been the one to summon Saber instead of me, but you, of all people Emiya…"

Shiro just gave her a blank look, and then he snorted.

"And I wonder what the school would think to find out that the star student is actually a Magus," he retorted. "Issei'd probably say something along the lines of 'I knew it all along!'"

Rin huffed, stood up slowly and only wobbled once and then straightened to her usual confident stance. She put her hands on her hips and smirked. It didn't have the desired effect because of the angry red mark on her cheek.

"I don't suppose you'd like to take this conversation somewhere more comfortable, would you? After all, I'm going to have a nasty bruise on this cheek tomorrow, so you had better man up, and take some responsibility."

"Wait a second," Saber said. She looked at Shiro with a frown, though she had not let her sword drop. "Master, you know this girl?"

Shiro grimaced at the word Master and then responded to Saber's question.

"Know _of_ her is more like it." He informed her. "She and I go to the same school, although we are in separate classes. In fact, before today, I don't think we've talked at all."

"How cold of you, Emiya," Rin said sarcastically. "Anyway, if my suspicions are true, then you're rather clueless about what's going on here, aren't you? And I don't think you're much of a Magus, either, considering how easily Lancer took you down the first time - no magic used in your own defense at all."

Saber responded quickly, "He seemed to be angry at my master for one reason or another. He actually said he gave him the fright of his life."

Rin's haughty smirk faltered, but returned in full force. She waved her hand dismissively as she turned around and strode away. "The least you could do is offer me something to drink," she called over her shoulder. "After all, I _did_ save your life earlier tonight."

Shiro sighed, and as Saber looked at him questioningly, he shrugged and said, "She's a lot like Fuji-nee, I guess. once she's got an idea in hear head, there's no stopping her. Unless of course, your Yuki-nee."

He made to follow Rin. Saber trailing dutifully behind him.

As they finished their conversation of whether or not Rin was trust worthy, Shiro suddenly remembered something. He turned towards Saber and said, "I forgot to mention, I have no interest in being your master."

"What?!" She stated icily as her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Gulping Shiro, continued, "I mean, I'm not going to sit around and let you do everything by yourself. I don't really even have anything I could wish for, so I don't want anything from this Grail thingy. But, if you do, then I guess you can just call us partners, ok? And partners don't call each other 'Master'. You can call me Shiro, ok?"

The tension eased from her verdant green eyes and her shoulders relaxed. "I see," she said. A small smile curled her lips, and his heart which had been steady so far, gave a tremendous lurch at the sight of her smile. He couldn't understand why however. "Yes, I understand. Shiro it is then. I truly like the sound of that much better."

"Great!" he said, and then his expression turned serious, and he continued, "before anything else though, I want to get one thing out in the open. I'll help you get the Grail, but only because I want to limit the number of casualties. I'll let you have free reign on the Servants but in exchange I have only one rule that I'm asking you to follow: we don't kill the other Masters, not unless it's to stop them from hurting innocent people. Okay?"

At first it looked as if she was going to argue, but then Saber closed her emerald eyes and took a deep breath as she thought about it. Then, as she finally finished thinking, she let it slowly out of her nose and opened her eyes again.

"Very well," she said. "I can abide by that rule. Yes, I can even understand it. If that is your order, Master, then I shall obey it."

* * *

They found later found Rin standing in front of the window that Lancer had thrown Shiro through earlier. She picked up a piece of the shattered glass and ran one of her dainty fingers over it. Before his eyes, the window had reformed as though it had never been broken in the first place. Heck there wasn't even the slightest crack!

"Much better," Rin said. "I expect that you're at least capable of that Emiya."

Shiro felt his face flush with embarrassment. He was never good at regular Mage craft, even with Yuki-nee's help.

"Sorry," he said as he rubbed the back of his head, giving her a sheepish laugh. "I can't do anything like that."

Rin turned around in a whirl of red. "What?" she asked of him, staring at him incredulously. "You've got to be kidding me. That's like the very first thing they teach you!"

"Sorry," he said again. "I only know the stuff my dad and Yuki-nee taught me, and whatever I managed to figure out myself, and even then, that's nothing formal."

"So you can't even control the five elements or anything?" she asked him disappointedly.

"Nope," Shiro declared bluntly. Saber gave him a strange look, but kept quiet as she wanted to see how well Rin reacted to the mention of the earthen being known as Titan. She also could have sworn she heard giggling, coming from the direction of Shiro. But when she looked, all she saw was…. she blinked rapidly. When had he gotten those robes and grimoire?

"So you can't make a Pass or set up defenses around your workshop, or – or anything like that?"

"I'm afraid not." Saber was still hearing giggles, coming from the direction of Shiro. When she looked at him again, he was still focused on his conversation with Rin. She narrowed her eyes, as she heard another giggle. This time she managed to trace it to the source. She blinked again, as she found the source of the noise, it was coming directly from the grimoire.

"Can you even make a magic circle?"

"Sorry, no."

Rin's brow furrowed in frustration.

"So you're a complete novice," she concluded. She gave Shiro a patronizing look as she heard a giggle coming from his direction. "Mind telling me what's so funny?"

Shiro, ignoring the look Rin was giving him, said, "Well, I wouldn't go that far. I mean, I can do Reinforcement pretty, but I'd say have to say that I'm best at projection. And would you believe me if I told you that I hadn't properly activated my magic circuits no less than five years ago?"

Still was looking at him suspiciously. Why was she doing that? "Uhhh? Tohsaka-san?" he said cautiously. He jumped when she suddenly spoke up.

"Of all the magic's you decided to learn, it had to be the two most useless," she lamented. "And you're sure there's nothing else you can do?"

"No," he said. "That's it."

A sudden burst of laughter, caused both Rin and Saber to look at him. Another burst of laughter and the grimoire in Shiro's hand fell to the floor with a thud and a small, "Ouch!"

"Did someone get the name of that runaway Chocobo?" it said dizzily. Shiro looked over at Rin and saw, much to his confusion and concern, that her face was twitching and her mouth was open in horror. He turned his gaze toward Saber, who was waiting for Rin to snap out of it, and waiting for an explanation from him.

He finally sighed, breaking Rin out of her stupor. She closed her mouth with an audible clicking noise, and blushed scarlet.

"You owe me an explanation, Emiya," she said a little too sweetly, sending shivers up and down his spine.

"So do you." he retorted.

The grimoire slowly floated upwards and back into Shiro's hand. It looked around noticing both women gazing at both Shiro and him. Finally, it said, "Well, this is awkward."

* * *

A sudden pulse of power was felt around the world, sending the status quo into chaos. Ancient magical sites, that were decaying, their ley-lines ruined, suddenly had change in fortunes. An ancient source of power had returned to those lands, revitalizing and restoring them.

Several, Magi claimed to have seen Phantasmal Beasts, but their accounts were dismissed out of hand, from the absurdity the claims. They were told to keep their heads down and be quiet.

Several of those magi reported their findings to the Holy Church. They were still told to keep quiet, but to be on the lookout for anything unusal. For the Church knew, had known for some time, that this world in the Kaleidoscope, had a different Fate than the others.

And deep within mountain ranges, ancient ruins long since forgotten, within the depths of untamed forests and jungles, beneath the desert sands, in caverns that went deep into the bowels of the planet and in the abyssal depths beneath the seas, they stirred. Many of the younger ones ignored the sound echoing in their heads, but the ancient elders, once they heard it, and knew what it meant.

A Wyrmlord had roared.

And in response they roared also, and their roars soon roused the others, and as they did so, released a pulse of power upon the world. One that further revitalized the land, the light and hope in the hearts of mortals suffering under supernatural forces, and struck fear into every foul being that walked their world. Its message was clear.

 **OUR PEOPLE HAVE HEARD YOUR SONG. THE FORCES OF DARKNESS SHALL BURN.**

* * *

 **So what did you think? Like it? Love it? Please let me know your opinion in the review section. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Also…chases away flamers with a ray-gun. Well that's all for now, until next time everyone!**

 **JA NE!**


	3. Chapter 2: Explainations and an Echo

**The Wyrmlord's Fate**

 **Chapter 2: Explanations, and an Echo of the Past**

The silence was deafening, as Rin and Saber sat and stared at Shirou and the grimoire, known for now as _**Draconomicon**_. Shirou fidgeted slightly in his seat on a couch in the living room, as the grimoire floated around the room. For a moment no one spoke, and then, just as Rin opened her mouth, they heard a voice from down the hallway.

"Dracon! We need a bit of help in Yuki-sama's room!" shouted the voice from that location. It had a slight Scottish accent to it.

"Can't it wait? I'm a bit busy in here!" The now christened Dracon, replied just as loudly.

"You wanna spend the next few days looking for those aetheric algorithms again?!" The voice shouted loudly, panicking slightly.

"No… why?" Dracon said slowly. It had slowly started floating out of Shirou's hand.

"Well then you bloody well better get in here now! Cause the Encyclopedia of Modern Science and that Sports book are about to go at it again!" the voice responded in a full blown panic. "And soon!"

"What?!" Dracon shouted, as it shot straight up to Shirou's shoulder. "Hold on just a second! I'll be right there!" The grimoire turned it's cover in the direction of Rin and said, "Sorry, Rin-san I've got to go take care of this problem."

The grimoire then departed for Yuki's room, muttering under its breath all the while. The remaining three just stood there comically, gazing with open mouths at the spot Dracon had been. Rin was the first to snap out of it.

"Well that was…." She paused, looking for the right words to say.

"Weird?" the only male in the room supplied helpfully.

"Yes, I suppose that fits," she said, finally composing herself. She then gave him a sweet smile, and as she did so, Shirou's sixth sense suddenly screamed danger! "You still have some explaining to do, Emiya. So talk, were did you get that grimoire?"

"Errrr." Shirou hesitated, he wasn't sure if he should tell her what he knew. Which was still very little, all things considered. Heck, he didn't even know the grimoire could talk! As he was pondering what to say and do, his right hand brushed up against the pocket of his scuffled blue jeans. Feeling something in there, he reached in there and grabbed it.

"Well? I'm waiting." Rin stated impatiently. Her eyes suddenly narrowed as Shirou suddenly put his hand inside his pocket.

"Is this yours, Tohsaka-san?" Shirou questioned, pulling out a familiar jeweled pendent.

Gasping, Rin rushed forward across the living room, narrowly dodging the coffee table in between the two couches, and snatched the pendent from Shirou's hand. Her face blushing at her lack of composure, she quickly walked back to her seat on the other couch. Once she sat down, Rin placed the pendent back around her neck. Rin closed her eyes as she clasped her hands over the pendent as if in prayer, and let out a sigh of relief.

"I'd thought I lost it…." Rin whispered faintly. She opened her eyes and gratefully said, "Thank you, this heirloom is the only thing I have left from my father."

"If I may interject Shirou." Saber suddenly said. "How is it that you come into possession of Rin's pendent?"

"It's because she left it behind accidently after she healed me." Shirou answered, looking over in her direction. He looked at Rin and asked, "Am I correct?"

Rin nodded her head in affirmation and said, "Yes I did." Slowly her dangerously sweet smile returned to her face as she spoke again, "But you still haven't told me where you got that grimoire from."

"I can tell ya that!" Said the object in question, popping from out of nowhere and giving the other three quite a fright, though Saber only twitched in response. "Sorry. But first, shouldn't you be telling tell Shirou-sama something?"

"Not until I get my answers!" was the retort.

"Ok, but I can only tell you what I can. There are some things even I don't know," it responded. It gave a cough that ruffled its pages and continued, "Ahem, my title in battle is _**Draconomicon**_ , but you can call me Dracon. But you probably know that from that earlier conversation."

"We gathered that much." Rin interrupted dryly.

If Dracon had a face, it would've been glaring at Rin. Instead it flapped its pages and said, "Yes, anyway what I can tell you, is that I was forged upon another star. Or planet, which ever you prefer. That vibrant planets name is… Hydaelyn. Amid azure seas, encompassing the westernmost of the three great continents, there lies a realm embraced by gods and forged by heroes. Her name…Eorzea."

Shirou, Saber, and Rin were listening with rapt attention as the grimoire continued to speak, though Rin was getting annoyed, "What annals of Eorzean history I can remember, chart the rise of a succession of great civilizations, each one enjoying an age of peace, the Astral Eras." The grimoire paused, looking up as Rin gave a loud cough, "Yes, Rin-san?"

"Are you going to tell us where Emiya got you, or not?" she demanded.

"You don't want a history lesson first?" Dracon asked dejectedly. Rin just shook her head no in exasperation. The grimoire then turned its gaze towards Saber, who was frowning in thought, and then to Shirou, who was staring at Dracon with a stunned expression on his face.

"Oh, very well," it said as it rifled its pages in irritation. "Shirou-sama got me from a friend of his that he looks up to as an older sister. Her name is Yuki Icecrown, and she is a Magus. Anything else?"

"Yes, what are you exactly? Are you some sort of mystic code?" Rin questioned. Shirou shot a questioning look at her, but she ignored him.

Dracon's response to that question was, to say the least, explosive. "I am not some Twelve damned mystic code! It gets old hearing that phrase getting repeated over the last few centuries! I'm an Anima Weapon, basically a weapon with a soul! You got that?!" It shouted at Rin from its position on the couch Shirou was sitting on. It gave a cough that made its page's flap again, and said, "Now, I believe you owe Shirou-sama an explanation of just what he got himself into."

"Fine." Rin huffed. She then turned her gaze to Shirou and said, "But how in the world did someone like you manage to summon a Saber?" Her eyes glanced over at Saber, and then swiftly returned to Shirou. Then she sighed, "So I'm guessing you've got no idea or any clues regarding the situation you're in?"

"Situation?" Shirou said in confusion. Then a sudden look of realization appeared on his face as he said, "If you're talking about the Grail War, yeah I know a bit. But what I know gives me only a vague idea."

"Like?" Rin probed.

"I know already about the masters and such, like how there are seven Masters for seven Servants, and about the how the Grail grants the winner a wish," He replied. "But, beyond that nothing much. So, maybe you could tell me?" he finished weakly. 'I still don't know how I know that though…' he added in his head.

Rin sighed heavily, and said, "Fine, but pay close attention to what I'm saying the first time. I don't want to have to repeat myself. Understood?"

Shirou nodded his head in response.

"Very well, I guess I'll start from the beginning," Rin said. Sighing, she continued bluntly, "You've been shanghai'ed into a kind of tournament, known as the Holy Grail War. The Grail itself chooses seven Masters and grants each of them a Servant and three Command Seals, those markings on the back of your hand there. They designate you as a Master. I am a Master as well, as I imagine you've probably already determined. As long as you have those three Command Seals, your Servant will continue to obey you – lose them, and your Servant can do whatever she like to you."

She glanced at Saber as though thinking about what fate would await him if he did use all three Seals, but Saber just stared back stoically. As Rin was talking, Shirou suddenly felt both the upper part of his back burn, just between his shoulder blades. Just as quickly as it began, it suddenly stopped.

Only for his right hand to feel a burning sensation as well, when he looked down at it, he saw the head of a regal western dragon that was roaring, with seven familiar looking seals all connecting to the dragon. Two looked to be broken already. But before he could look closer, the burning sensation stopped and the marks soon disappeared. Hearing Rin suddenly give a loud cough, he looked up to see her glaring at him, and Saber staring at her left hand warily.

"Do you both mind telling me what's so interesting about your hands?" Rin demanded. She was glaring at both of them, her blue eyes furious.

As Shirou was about to speak and tell her what had happened, a voice interrupted his thoughts. **"Do not tell her what happened,"** was what it said in a way that it had seen too much. It sounded eerily familiar, like he had heard it from some half-forgotten dream.

"Nothing, must have been my mind playing tricks on me." He lied, hoping that it sounded convincing. Yuki-nee said he couldn't tell a lie, even if he wanted to.

"Mine as well," Saber responded. She glanced in Shirou's direction, then her gaze went back onto Rin.

Rin glanced between the two of them, and finding nothing that she could call them out on, she said, "Well, in that case, I'll continue my explanation. Please, do try to pay attention this time, ok Emiya?"

"Okay." Shirou said in response.

"Now, each Command Seal represents one absolute command that your Servant cannot disobey, no matter what," Rin continued. She had adopted a sort of lecturing pose, which Shirou found suited her. "So always keep your last one in reserve ok? Also with them, you could force them to do something that they wouldn't normally do, or something that's beyond their capabilities."

Shirou nodded his head in acknowledgement. Though the thought of making someone do something against their will was a horrible thing to him. It made him feel a bit sick.

"Servants are the spirits of legendary heroes summoned from across time," Rin explained further. "They can come from anytime period- past, present, even the future- and are given a spiritual body to fight with. They're sort of like familiars, but they're on a whole different level."

Dracon gave a small cough that made its page's flutter, but Rin ignored the grimoire. She then got to her feet, walked over towards Saber and gave her a long look over.

"It's looking like you haven't fully materialized in this time period," Rin stated. "I'm going to guess it has to do with his incompetence. That probably has interfered with your summoning."

Shirou felt as if part of him was slapped in the face, while the other part roared out in anger. Half of him admitted that what Rin had said was probably true, while the other half knew that was not true. He was startled out of his conflicted thoughts by Dracon, who had given a louder cough. Rin still ignored the grimoire, though her facial features twitched out of annoyance.

"Correct," Saber responded in a calm and cold voice, as she glanced over at Dracon, who had started to flap its bindings and pages angrily and was floating near Shirou's head. "Shirou possesses a significant amount of Prana and…" she paused considering how to continue, her brow furrowed in thought.

"And?" Rin pressed.

"And a VAST amount of some form of energy," Saber continued. "It seems vaguely familiar to me, although I can't remember why."

"Unknown energy?" Rin said in confusion, her blue eyes blinking rapidly. Dracon had suddenly gone silent, and when she looked at the grimoire, it was looking between Saber and Shirou as though it had realized something.

"Yes, but the bond between us is not stable enough to complete my materialization in this time period." Saber said. Then she shrugged and finished with, "Maybe with time that will change, but in the meantime I cannot take spirit form. Also, replenishing my own energy will take much more effort."

"Sheesh!" Rin cried, as she facepalmed. "If you were _my_ Servant, I could take care of both of those issues easily."

"So you're saying I'm not fit to be a Master," Shirou stated.

"Not even close!" Rin answered.

It was at that moment, that Dracon decided to suddenly speak up in a loud voice, bindings and pages flapping all the while, "That unknown energy is aether, and by the way, Shirou-sama is not incompetent! He managed to summon Titan, Lord of Crags right after he summoned Saber-san!"

"Titan? As in the Greek Titans?" Rin questioned Dracon.

The grimoire finally settled down and finished by saying, "No, not the Greek Titans. Titan, Lord of Crags, Father and Guardian deity of the Kobolds. He is also the power of the element Earth incarnate, and it takes a vast amount of aether to call him forth. More so from the Life Stream."

Rin's mouth fell open comically in shock. Saber merely widened her eyes in surprise, but there was a light of recognition when Dracon had mentioned Titan. Shirou merely shrugged his shoulders in response to both young women's reactions, as though this news was not as shocking to him.

Rin blushed a scarlet color as she closed her jaws with a snap. Shaking her head and sighing, she said, "Very well, then. We should get going."

"Where are we going?" Shirou asked warily. He was not going to be lead into a trap, no way, no how!

"We're going to pay a visit to the man who oversees this entire War," Rin responded with a sound of disgust in her voice. She started to head for the front doorway, and then stopped, turned around and asked, "Aren't you coming?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Shirou said as he sighed. Then he blinked as he realized something. "Just let me get changed out of these robes first, okay?"

Rin's jaw fell open again as she beheld the robes, which she had not noticed before. Then she said as she walked out the door, "Fine, but do hurry will you?"

* * *

Kotomine Kirei was not a happy man at the moment, not that he was normally happy anyway. No, right now he was furious. Why? Because through his connection with the tainted Holy Grail, he had felt a great shift in the world. Something that had made the Grail quiver in fear. It had all started when that ROAR was heard throughout the city. That single sound had so much power to it, and that power was traced with a bit of divine holy energy. He shook his head, now was not the time for this! He started to ascend the steps to the main floor of the church

As he came up to the hall of the church, he heard a haughty voice from the shadows say, "What's got you so angry this late at night, eh Kotomine? Shouldn't you be preparing for the final Master to arrive?"

Kotomine merely glared in the direction of the voice and said nothing for a moment. Then in a voice that would make most people feel uneasy around him, said "I take it you heard that roar, correct?"

"…Yes, and never again did I think that I would hear a dragon's roar." The voice said, still in that superior sounding way. But there was a trace of concern in it, and perhaps a bit of fear.

"Oh? Is the mighty King of Heroes afraid of a measly dragon?" Kotomine said sarcastically. The sound of clanking armor could be heard.

"That was no ordinary roar." A man had appeared out of the shadows, bedecked in golden armor, with crimson eyes and blonde hair. You could usually find an overconfident grin on his face, but now it was replaced by a look of concern. "That was the roar of a Wyrmlord, a leader of the Dragon race. Not since Tiamat have I heard it, and I had hoped I would never hear it again." A slight shiver racked the man in gold, and then he said with a grim smile, "With the call of a Wyrmlord, the Dragon race will return, Kotomine. They will either bring about a new age of magic, or the destruction of all."

Kotomine just stood there frowning, as the man in gold disappeared back into the shadows. Then he said, "So that's what it was? But how does that explain the traces of divine energy that I detected? But really, I thought that the King of Heroes would be made of sterner stuff when it came to Dragons of all things." Continuing to frown, he too slunk back into the shadows. Leaving no evidence of either man, just the flickering candles that were the only source of light inside the church, and the waxing moon the only source of outside light.

* * *

Shirou, Saber, and Rin said little to each other as they walked through the silent town. Dracon had elected to stay behind, saying that it needed to do some research, whatever that meant. The houses around them were dark, with the exception of a few houses with cracked and broken windows. The only light aside from that, were from the streetlights, the stars above and the barely-there moon. That was natural, it was late when everything had started and the church was quite a distance from the Emiya house. Shirou's thoughts were once again conflicted and he felt that the closer they got to their destination, the more conflicted they became, as though he had two voices inside his head arguing with each other.

Shirou was so distracted, that he had forgotten to take the shortcut to the bridge. Rather than cut through the park as they would have if he had the presence of mind to lead, Rin instead took them the standard route and led the way across the bridge to Shinto. Rin kept casting glances his way, as if she was concerned about him, but kept glancing away again when he looked up. She didn't say anything until they'd climbed their way up a hill to reach their destination.

A grand-looking church stood before them, leering out of the darkness like some sort of great bestial guardian standing guard over the gates of the Seven Hells themselves. Shirou blinked as he processed that last bit of his thoughts, the Seven Hells? Where did that phrase come from?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Once he could finally think clearly he said, "So this supervisor-guy lives _here_?"

Shirou glanced up at the church again, and shuddered. This place gave him a bad feeling…. was that the cry of a child? Yes, it was, and it sounded like it was coming from inside the church. He felt something stir inside of himself again at that sound, but it quickly quieted down. There was just something so… _wrong_ about this place. He could smell an overwhelming sense of malice coming from this so-called church.

Shirou was snapped out of his musings about the church when he heard Rin give a loud cough in annoyance. When he looked at her, he saw that she was giving him a furious glare again. But he had seen far worse glares from Allagan chimerical monstrosities. Wait… what? Where did that thought come from?

Shaking his head again, he said, "Sorry, my thoughts are a bit muddled right now. You were saying something, Tohsaka-san?"

Rin just continued to glare at him, but Shirou was not cowed by that glare. As a matter of fact, he glared right back and, unbeknownst to him, his eye color changed to a fiery crimson, and his iris shape flickered to slits. But just as quickly as the change appeared, it was gone.

Disturbed Rin took a slight step backward. Then she shook her head, making her long black hair go this way and that, and said, "Yes, I was saying this is the place, Kotomine Church."

"Shirou," Saber said suddenly. There was a hint of trepidation in her voice, "I think its best if I stay out here."

Shirou looked back at her over his shoulder, his face creased with a frown of concern at the tone of her voice. He couldn't blame her though, he had always instinctually avoided this place like the plague, and now that he was here, he could see why. If Saber could sense half of what he did, the total _wrongness_ that pervaded the walls of this church, then it was only natural that she wanted to keep a fair distance away from it.

"Are you sure?" Shirou asked her, his voice laden with worry. Rin rolled her eyes in exasperation at both his question and the tone. He couldn't help it however, he felt as though… as though… he just didn't want to see her get hurt, ever. It was odd, he had never felt like this before about anyone.

Saber looked a bit stunned at those words, however she quickly recomposed herself. However, a small smile graced her lips as she replied, "Yes, I will be alright Shirou. If this church is where you'll be tonight, then I'm sure I'll be able to find you within its boundaries."

"All right then." Shirou said simply as he nodded his head.

The church was as dark and spooky as he thought it would be when Rin threw open the doors. There was also a taint of malice that hung in the air, like smoke. But it seemed that Rin couldn't sense it, as she kept walking forward. The pale light of the waxing moon cast their shadows across the floor. As she led him inside, Shirou couldn't help but get the feeling he was being watched from the shadows. 

"Tohsaka," he began, mostly to put some sound into their eerie surroundings and the spooky silence, "just how well do you know this priest?"

"It's very difficult to explain. I've known him for ten years, but I still can't grasp his character. He's not my relative, not by any means, but he is my guardian. On top of that, he is my senior as an apprentice, and my second teacher." She explained bitterly.

"Huh… senior as an apprentice. Wait, you mean apprentice as in a Magus apprentice!?" Shirou exclaimed in shock. Shirou paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts and then he asked, "Is there anyone in this city who isn't a Magus?"

"Who knows." Rin responded as she shrugged her shoulders. "But because he is a Magus, it's such a pain in the ass to deal with him. By the way in case you're wondering, his full name is Kotomine Kirei. He was one of my father's pupils and because of that, we've been forced to put up with each other for the last ten years. If it had been up to me, we would've had nothing to do with each other," She finished bitterly.

Shirou heard something approaching them from out of the darkness and suddenly tensed. Rin gave him a confused look, but then she slightly jumped when they heard a voice say, "And I would have preferred not to have a student who can't even show the proper respect to her teacher."

A tall man had appeared out of the shadows like some sort of phantom. A small smirk was curling on his lips. The first thing Shirou noticed about him was that his eyes had a hollow look to them, and that the malice in the air had gotten thicker. Both of these things made Shirou uneasy about this man.

"So, what brings you here Rin?" Kirei asked.

* * *

After Shirou and Rin walked into the church, Saber stood where they had left her, keeping a silent vigil. Her thoughts, however, were anything but silent, as they kept straying to her Master. It was odd, he looked so familiar, like she had met him in some half-forgotten dream. Just looking at him sent an unfamiliar wave of emotions throughout her body.

Saber gave herself a mental shake of her head. She had to focus on the situation at hand, not on why her heart started to beat frantically at the sight of his face, even if it was creased into a frown. This time Saber had to visibly shake her head in order to get her mind back on track.

As those unfamiliar thoughts and feelings faded away, another more noticeable concern drifted to the forefront of her mind. What if Shirou refused to accept his role as a Master? That very thought filled her with dread. However, it was soon washed away by a new wave of familiar, yet unknown feelings coming from what felt like her very soul. A strange feeling that Shirou would not abandon her, for one reason or another.

The clanking of armored feet on the ground soon reached her ears, and Saber quickly turned her gaze in the direction of the sound. A figure was steadily approaching her position, but Saber could barely make out anything except four glowing red eyes, and the distinct shape of a spear. Her emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion and her muscles tensed, ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of danger. Had Lancer come back to finish her or her Master off?

When the figure stepped into the light of the full moon, Saber knew right away that this being was not Lancer, for Lancer was male, not female. The armor the woman was wearing made her look like some sort of humanoid Dragon. The spear the woman was carrying was also different than Lancer's spear, it was not pure crimson for one. For another, it had two prongs making it look more like the talon of a Dragon. The mysterious woman stopped a few feet away from Saber and gazed in her general direction.

"It's good to see you again, Little Lioness," the armored woman said fondly to Saber.

Saber suddenly put her right hand up to her head, as if trying to stave off what appeared to be a headache. The moment she did so however, a familiar burning sensation returned to her hand, and her mind went blank.

* * *

 _ **Saber slowly came to in an eerily familiar room. The place she was in looked to be some kind of armory or workshop, but the last time she checked, she was standing outside the church, waiting for Shirou and Rin to return. Everything around her was faded in color, similar to what happens to a picture left in the sun for far too long.**_

 _ **A sudden movement caught her eye, and she quickly spun around. Sitting nearby what looked to be a forge, were two people, one of which was a young man, trying to gain the other person's attention.**_ _**The man was polishing what was a massive dual-bladed battle axe. One look at it him and Saber could tell the man was a veteran Warrior.**_

" _ **Arturia! Oi, Arturia! Are you even listening to me?" the young male with mahogany brown hair said to his companion.**_

 _ **Saber jumped ever so slightly and her emerald eyes blinked in surprise, at both the sight of the young man's companion, and the name he had spoken. The young woman, who was an exact mirror image of Saber, jumped slightly and turned towards the young man. She had been polishing an exquisite Longsword and Shield.**_

" _ **Sorry Meteor, I was busy thinking." Arturia replied a bit sheepishly, as she put down the rag she had been using. There was a faint blush adorning her cheeks as she continued, "You were saying?"**_

 _ **Meteor continued to stare at her for a bit, and then he sighed, though there was a slight smile on his face as he said, "You were thinking about - again aren't you?"**_

 _ **The young woman avoided the others gaze, and squeaked with her face a blazing scarlet, "Yes!"**_

 _ **Meteor broke out in laughter at the sight of Arturia's face. After he had calmed down, he said with a hint mischief in his eyes, "So have you finally gotten the dense oaf to finally notice you?"**_

 _ **He froze slightly at the ice cold glare she sent his way. Then Arturia looked the other way and mumbled something unintelligible, her blush returning full force.**_

" _ **Sorry?" Meteor said, thoroughly confused.**_

 _ **Arturia blushed, if it was even possible, a deeper shade of red than before and said clearly, "We've been together since the Ultima Weapons destruction. We didn't want anyone to know about it, even you big brother, because we were worried about how they might react to the news."**_

" _ **I see…" was the quiet response. Then a look of horrified understanding came across his face, "Don't tell me… have you both been sleeping in bed together?!"**_

 _ **Arturia's defiant glare was all the proof he needed to confirm his suspicions.**_

 _ **Meteor held her gaze for a few minutes before sighing, "Just let him know that if he ever hurts you, Little Lioness, he'll have to answer to the rest of us." Then he grinned and happily said, "Did he propose yet?"**_

" _ **Aye, he did. Shirou proposed last night," she replied, blushing like a young maiden swept off her feet.**_

 _ **Saber went stiff, her eyes wide. There just was no way…**_

 _ **Arturia then glared at her brother and reprimanded him, saying, "And didn't I tell you never to call me that?!"**_

" _ **Yes you did, but I'll never stop. You should know that by now Arturia." Meteor said.**_

 _ **Saber's vision slowly faded to white once again.**_

* * *

Saber's eyes snapped open in surprise. The first thing she noticed was that she was on the ground somehow. Saber quickly rectified that as she stood up and checked her surroundings. The mysterious armored woman was gone, with nary a trace that she had been there. She glanced up at the moon and saw that its position had changed, meaning she had been out for either a few minutes or an hour.

A few more minutes were passed in silence as Saber continued to search her surroundings, before she realized that something was hanging around her neck. She glanced down and saw an amulet attached to a metallic chain. Both the amulet and chain were of superb craftsmanship, but were made of an unknown metal. She looked closely so as to make out the details of the amulet in the moonlight.

The amulet depicted a female knight, wielding a sword and shield that were eerily similar to what Saber had seen in her dream when she had blacked out. The eyes of the woman were inlaid with what appeared to be emeralds that held an inner light, making them look all too real. Surrounding the knight were seven other gemstones, and carved onto the outside part of the amulet were twelve symbols, corresponding to the face upon a clock.

Saber hesitated for a moment, then placed the amulet beneath her armor. It was at that precise moment that the church doors opened and out walked an angry Shirou and a nervous looking Rin.

* * *

 **Hi all Spirit of the Aces here, sorry about the delay. This chapter just didn't want to get out of my head, so unfortunately it's a bit short. So that's why I'm looking for a beta reader. If you feel up for it give me a PM. I've also been working on another fanfic; this time it's going to be an Elder Scrolls crossover.**

 **As always, I look forward for constructive criticism, so please leave a review if spot anything that seems wrong to you, ok? But flamers will be prosecuted.**


	4. Message to my Readers

Hi all, Spirit here.

Unfortunately, this is not a chapter update. I wish it were an update, but I wrote myself into a corner with this story and have completely lost my train of thought for this story. I'm still gonna leave this story up for anyone that wants to read it. Sorry if I disappointed anyone with this message.

Spirit of the Aces RTB.


	5. I have a Question

**Hello again my fellow readers! Spirit of the aces here again with a question. I was just looking over my story and I thought it was a bit rushed. So does anyone think I should rewrite my story? I'll have a poll up soon. Please let me know!**

 **Spirit of the Aces RTB.**


	6. Story Status update and Looking for Beta

**Hi all, Spirit of the Aces here. So, after reading the reviews and looking at the poll, I have decided to Completely Rewrite the entire story from scratch. I'll still be using some plot ideas from the original, but it will be a very different story. Also, does anyone know how to look for a Beta? Or if you want to Beta for me that would be great… still need to find out what a Beta does though.**

 **Ah well, Spirit of the Aces RTB!**


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